It's the story of a penny stockbroker who ran a pump and dump firm called Stratton-Oakmont on Long Island. Think drugs, parties, and globe trotting during the good times. (They even did legitimate deals, like take Steve Madden public.)

But then there were the bad times. Stratton-Oakmont had a number of completely illegal dealings involving corruption at high levels of the corporate banking world, and even the mob. The bad times, as you can see, were really bad.

When all was said and done, Belfort had to spend 20 months in jail and his family and fortune were lost.

This true story took place in the 1990s in a boiler room type atmosphere of hungry young traders.

Long Island-based brokerage house Stratton-Oakmont had a short run. By 1998, founder Jordan Belfort was indicted for securities fraud and money laundering.

During the run, though, Belfort (a kid who used to hustle ice on Long Island beaches) hired young, hungry, hardworking employees, some of whom hadn't even graduated from high school. They were known as "Strattonites."

The "Strattonites" stuck to Belfort's cold call scripts, drove up the prices of stocks, and partied. Hard.

Some of that partying included midget tossing.

And drugs, of course, Belfort ('The Wolf') and his crew did a lot of them.

In his autobiography, Belfort details doing a lot of hardcore drugs when he was at the top of his Wall Street game in the 90s.

Here's what he told CNBC's Jane Wells:

Belfort says at the height of his drug problem, he was taking 22 different medications: 20 quaaludes a day, balanced out by cocaine, the morphine, xanax, valium, etc. You name it, he abused it. I said to him, "Even if half of this is true (skeptical as always) how are you alive?" He says he was just really good about balancing it all out.

Belfort also bought crazy toys with his money — so there may be a jet crash scene in the movie.

The 'Wolf' crashed his crashed his gulfstream jet during one of his high points.

He also owned a 256-foot super-yacht (named Nadine and originally built for Coco Chanel) that he would eventually sink off the coast of Italy. Other toys include a Ferrari Testaross and a Hamptons house, just to name a few.

Downs? Think: Physical violence and dangerous behavior.

While on drugs, Belfort crashed car with his 3 year-old daughter, who was not wearing her seatbelt, through his garage door. He also kicked his gorgeous model wife down a flight of stairs in a drug induced state.

Eventually the Feds caught up with Belfort, and he had to spend 20 months in prison.

AP

Here's how they got him: Belfort laundered money through several intermediaries in Switzerland. The Feds nabbed one and unraveled the whole scheme. Once Belfort knew it was all over for him, he started ratting out his friends, over 100 of them.

The ratting went on for a few years, but eventually Belfort had to go to jail. He was sentenced to 4 years but only did 20 months in jail plus drug counseling and time in halfway house.

Now that you know the story, here are a few things in the movie we're extra excited to see.

Here's a scene we're really looking forward to — Belfort's cellmate was Tommy Chong who was serving time for selling bongs on the internet. They were in a white collar prison (think: tennis courts) together and it was Chong who suggested Belfort write a book.

And we can't wait to meet Agent Coleman of the FBI and Assistant US Attorney Joel Cohen. They REALLY hated Belfort.